


Games of Life (and Death)

by ComposerEgg



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Warmup Writing, check each chapter for warnings!, oneshots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-06-09 21:29:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15276561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ComposerEgg/pseuds/ComposerEgg
Summary: "Shibuyasings.There is Music in the air, dancing to the beat, filtered through sunbeams from windows and old wooden tables.Joshua stands at the center of it, twirling, twisting through the air. He spins, the light catches him, musical notes spilling from his body, an overflowing waterfall of music exploding into the air.In their cozy apartment, Neku stands and watches."A collection of JoshNeku oneshots





	1. Dance

**Author's Note:**

> All fics are going to be Josh&Neku focused and they are all going to be small little oneshots I write to practice and warm up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: G
> 
> Warnings: none

Shibuya _sings_.

There is Music in the air, dancing to the beat, filtered through sunbeams from windows and old wooden tables.

Joshua stands at the center of it, twirling, twisting through the air. He spins, the light catches him, musical notes spilling from his body, an overflowing waterfall of music exploding into the air.

In their cozy apartment, Neku stands and watches.

Watches the way his hair catches the sun, reflects it and shines like the moon. The way stars dance around him, twinkling in his eyes.

Watches Joshua take careful steps, playing the tune of a violin.

Watches him flow, arms conducting the orchestra around them. Weaving the music in the air with the simple wave of his hands, the sharp, jagged movements in time, the delicate piano playing of his fingers.

Shibuya _sings_ , all around her Composer, and Neku watches.

The twists and turns are dazzling, the way Joshua dances with the rhythm, and Neku finds himself getting drawn in.

He takes a step.

And another.

He draws into the eye of the hurricane, and reaches.

 _Stretches_.

Grabs Joshua’s outstretched hand.

And the light explodes.

It surrounds him, digs deep into his bones. Hooked around his skin.

Music pumps through his veins, burning, fire deep inside of him given fuel for the flame.

Warmth seeps into him, a hearth on a cold winter’s day, when Joshua looks up at him with a glint in his eyes and _smiles_.

Shibuya intertwines them, her bell of laughter ringing out in his head as she takes the lead, and teaches them how to dance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi this was a self-indulgent cute warmup writing I did in 10 minutes at work and if you enjoyed it drop me a comment below!
> 
> Or join my twewy discord! [Right here!](https://discord.gg/pEADe9J) We're all a fun bunch in there!


	2. Trust Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You trust me, right?”  
> Neku raises an eyebrow at Josh. “Haven’t I made that obvious? Of course I do.”  
> Joshua laughs, pulling Neku to the edge of the roof. They’re standing on 104, and when Neku glances down, the distance makes him dizzy.  
> “You trust me, even standing here?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: G
> 
> Warnings: Swearing, heights.

“You trust me, right?”

Neku raises an eyebrow at Josh. “Haven’t I made that obvious? Of course I do.”

Joshua laughs, pulling Neku to the edge of the roof. They’re standing on 104, and when Neku glances down, the distance makes him dizzy.

“You trust me, even standing here?”

“Yeah, but this is freaking me out a bit,” he says. Tearing his gaze away from the ground, he looks at Josh again, just in time to see a smirk on his face.

Just in time to see the hand _push_ him, connecting with his chest, and he’s too late to do anything to stop it as he falls.

Wind whips against his skin, hair blown askew as he plummets to the ground.

Adrenaline pumps through his veins, and this is it, isn’t it? He’s dying, _again_. All because he trusted Josh. He’ll be nothing more than a splash of red against the pavement below, pedestrians screaming.

Cold air bites his face, and he doesn’t even scream, taking the time to instead shout, “FUCK YOU!” at the sky, up where he Josh is probably laughing his ass off at the silly mortal who thought he could trust his twice-murderer.

 _Another Game week won’t be so bad_ , is what he thinks as the pavement approaches. He knows how to win, he’s been through worse.

But the impact never comes.

Instead, there’s arms around his waist, and a soft breeze as he’s lifted back upwards. The beat of wings makes him look at his savior.

And it’s Josh, windswept hair and a signature grin on his face, as he soars through the air.

The sight of Shibuya from above, a birds-eye view just below the clouds, steals his breath away, and he thinks for a second that maybe he really _did_ die. But no, he’s still solid, and Joshua’s arms are holding him tight. The impact never came.

When Joshua lands them on the rooftop again, Neku takes a moment to get his footing back.

Then he punches Josh in the arm.

“Ow! What was that for?”

Neku scowls, because Josh is putting on the act of genuine confusion, of innocence. “You pushed me off the fucking roof! That’s what that was for! Why the hell would you do that!?”

Joshua laughs, and the sounds melts away some of Neku’s anger. Cool aloe on a burn.

“Haven’t you ever heard of trust falls?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was an idea in my head for a while so I wrote it and if you enjoyed it drop me a comment below!
> 
> Or join my twewy discord! [Right here!](https://discord.gg/pEADe9J) We're all a fun bunch in there!


	3. Simple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s simple.
> 
> Reaching into the case it came so neatly packaged in. Opening it up and pulling out the shiny, sleek metal. Discarded gift wrap still lays scattered on the floor.
> 
> It’s simple.
> 
> Joshua sets it aside, and takes out the box of bullets, setting those nearby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: T
> 
> Warnings: Gun use, suicide (not graphic).

It’s simple.

Reaching into the case it came so neatly packaged in. Opening it up and pulling out the shiny, sleek metal. Discarded gift wrap still lays scattered on the floor.

It’s simple.

Joshua sets it aside, and takes out the box of bullets, setting those nearby.

A revolver, six chambers. A game of Russian roulette he’s bound to lose.

There’s always a last note, a phone call. A desperate cry for help from some, a _see you soon_ for others.

His is the last one.

It’s simple, really.

“Hey Neku, how’ve you been? I haven’t gotten to see you recently, what with you spending Christmas with your father and all.”

“Oh it’s been good! I wish I could celebrate it with you like we did last year, though. Your parents didn’t show again, did they?”

A sigh. “No, they didn’t, not for my birthday or Christmas. I got a gift in the mail, and that’s all.”

“Well! I’ll come visit you when I get back, but that won’t be for another week.”

The phone is sandwiched between his head and shoulder. “Don’t worry about me too much, I’ll be fine, really.”

Slotting bullets into the gun, one at a time, is simple.

“Hey, well, I’m here for you either way. Just give me a call if you wanna talk more.”

A laugh. “Of course. What would I do without you?”

“I dunno, hang out at that weird cafe all the time instead of having a friend your own age? I’m still not stepping foot in there. It’s too dead, and something about the vibes of that place creeps me out.”

“I won’t make you, but the owner really is nice, I promise. You’d like him if you met him.” He spins the chamber into place, holding it up. The moon reflects in it from outside the window. Christmas lights aren’t as big in Shibuya as they are in America, and the holiday was yesterday, anyway. Green and red lights flickering below are the normal neon signs, nothing special.

“It’ll be a cold day in hell before you get me in there.”

“I’m rolling my eyes at you, just so you know,” he says, getting a laugh that warms his stomach in return. If Neku were here, he’d fight down the blush, but he's not. It’s soft, cotton, sheep’s wool, fluff around his heart. Pierced by needles and pins at the thought of what he’s going to do.

What he's going to sacrifice.

It’s simple.

“You know,” he says, quieter, softness taking the edge off his voice, “I really do care about you. You’re like, the most important person in my life. The most important thing to me.”

Josh hears a huff from the other end. Neku’s never been one to bare his emotions so brazenly. Josh usually isn’t, either.

“What’s gotten into you?”

“Ii just… Want you to know that. You’re what makes life worth living.”

“Yeah well…” Neku’s voice breaks off. “Just… Don’t go dying on me, Josh, okay? Dunno what I’d do without you, cuz you’re important to me too…”

“Of course not, I’ll always be with you.”

“Good, I’m holding you too that,” he says, before a yawn he can’t stifle makes itself known.

“Go to bed, Neku. You need your sleep so you can put up with whatever bullshit tomorrow brings you.”

He gets a snort. “Yeah yeah. See you in a week, nerd!”

“See you then.”

Joshua flips his phone shut, and eyes the gun in his lap.

It’s simple.

He _will_ always be with Neku. If Neku doesn’t remember his death, does it count against his promise?

He sets it on the table, safety on, and goes to bed. Tomorrow, maybe, he’ll test his plan.

It’s simple.

A gunshot rings out in the apartment the next night, after a suggestion from his parents that he move back in with the American relatives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP Josh. This can honestly stand on its own or be paired up with my fic Anything To Make You Stay, whatever floats your goat. If you liked it drop me a comment!
> 
> Or join my twewy discord! [Right here!](https://discord.gg/pEADe9J) I have a feeling the fun folks here are gonna yell at me lol.
> 
> (This was super a lot just depression vent writing. Not actually related to events that triggered depression mood tho, and I promise I'm not suicidal or anything just moody.)


	4. Mural

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiding your activities from the god of Shibuya is hard.
> 
> It’s worse when what you’re doing influences the city itself.
> 
> Neku lets out a deep sigh as he puts the finishing touches on the project not a moment too soon, sending a silent thank you to Hanekoma once again, for doing… whatever it is he did that blocked this from Joshua’s view.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: G
> 
> Warnings: None
> 
> Pure fluff! Great, adorbs!

Hiding your activities from the god of Shibuya is hard.

It’s worse when what you’re doing influences the city itself.

Neku lets out a deep sigh as he puts the finishing touches on the project not a moment too soon, sending a silent _thank you_ to Hanekoma once again, for doing… whatever it is he did that blocked this from Joshua’s view.

He pulls out his phone and sends Josh a text. ^You’d better not be busy today, Josh, because we’re hanging out.^

_^I’m at WildKat right now, but I don’t have any plans. What do you have in mind?^_

^I’ll be there soon. It’s a surprise.^

_^Oh, mysterious :D. Celebrating Xmas a day early?^_

^Something like that.^

Neku snaps his phone shut and heads over. The paint stains on his clothes are questionable, but also not out of the ordinary. It’s a short walk, he makes it in 5 minutes, feet tracing a well-worn familiar path. The bell chimes when he enters.

Joshua is seated at the counter, and he’s throwing toothpicks at Hanekoma when Neku walks in. There’s several littering the room, and Hanekoma bats the one coming at him away with his power, where it flies and hits a wall.

“Why are you like this?” he sighs.

Josh spins around in his chair, and lights up with a grin. “Because, dear, who would I be if not for my annoying antics?”

A glance to the side tells him all he needs to know, and Neku ducks. Toothpicks go flying over his head a second later. “Keep doing that and I won’t show you the surprise I have in store.”

He gets a pout in return. “Aw, so _rude_ ,” he says, sliding off the stool to stand. “What is it?”

“It’s a _surprise_ for a reason, dude. I’ve got it kept somewhere special, so I’ll have to take you there and show you!”

“Fine, lead the way.”

Neku holds out a hand, and Josh takes it. He gives a wave to Hanekoma as they leave, and Hanekoma winks in reply when Josh isn’t looking.

“Have fun you two!”

“You don’t get to tell me what to do, _dad_!” Josh calls back.

He laughs, pulling Josh out of the store before these two can get into a full-blown argument.

“So, how far do we have to go until we’re at your hiding place?” Josh asks.

“Not far, it’s just at the Miyashita underpass.”

* * *

 

“Neku, are you sure this is right? I’m just looking at a wall here,” Josh says.

A blank wall, in fact. Not a trace of graffiti, which is _odd_. Shibuya is home to wall art, sprawling designs everywhere they can fit in, claiming space and bringing color and Imagination to the city. Bright bursts anywhere they can cling to life.

He encourages it too, wants his city to hold the mark of brilliant artists, creators sharing their own internal world by painting it for everyone to see. Of course, he gets to be picky about what stays, what he allows, but the artists he like have claimed their space, made their marks, once they’ve learned that their art sticks.

So a wall like this? A blank canvas, so drained of life? It’s untapped potential, one he yearns to be filled.

“Just wait a moment will ya?” Neku says with a laugh. ”Do you know how _hard_ it is to hide stuff from you? I had to enlist Mr. Hanekoma’s help, otherwise you would’ve caught on the second I started doing anything.”

“Why would you need to hide something from--” his voice stops in his throat as an image appears before him.

A figure stands above Hachiko in the center, white and wispy, tall, with piercing violet eyes judging the people who pass by. Intricate, detailed wings span the wall, reaching out, tips brushing against the ground. Feathers curl through the air, and spirals of musical staves wind around the outside of the image, notes dancing to the tune of Shibuya. He _recognizes_ that tune, knows it in his Soul.

Figures gather around the statue, smudges compared to the being standing above. A spot of purple, of yellow hair, green and pink, orange.

There’s a cityscape under the wings, the skyline of Shibuya. Stars dance above the skyscrapers in the shadow cast by his wings, like shed feathers, bright and brilliant, but not outshining him. They curl around the city, the scene, protecting what is his.

It strikes him to his core, a hand rising up to cover his mouth as all thoughts flee him.

There's a soft smile, almost hidden, on the Composer’s lips in the image. Proud of his city, his people.

He can only stare, filled with storming emotions crashing against his too-small body. He can't contain it, and tears leak out of his eyes, droplets of the hurricane within.

“Sooo… do you like it?” Neku asks, staring at him with hesitant worry etched into his face.

“I… _I love it_. It's _beautiful, stunning_. How long have you been working on this?” he whispers, voice brimming with awe.

“I've had this planned for a while now. Happy birthday, Joshua.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the words of my usual beta Hinami: "NEKU YOU BRILLIANT DORK"  
> I got bored so I'm posting this before they actually beta it tho lol
> 
> Feel free to comment below if you liked it and/or wanna call Neku a dork! Or join my twewy discord! [Right here!](https://discord.gg/pEADe9J)


	5. Old Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the seventh anniversary of his death, four years since he’d last been here, Neku Sakuraba steps off a train and into Shibuya.
> 
> Wisps of fog trail behind him.
> 
> Memories of the UG are water in a pot on the stove. Without reminders, it evaporates away, fades into a hazy puff of steam, intangible and lost. Interacting with it acts as a phone alarm, a lid to the pot. Sometimes, it takes the cloud and condenses it into something tangible, reforms the memories and slots them back into place.
> 
> Interacting with the Composer would do that. Joshua knows. Neku was never told.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: T for swears
> 
> Warning: Memory issues.

On the seventh anniversary of his death, four years since he’d last been here, Neku Sakuraba steps off a train and into Shibuya.

Wisps of fog trail behind him.

Memories of the UG are water in a pot on the stove. Without reminders, it evaporates away, fades into a hazy puff of steam, intangible and lost. Interacting with it acts as a phone alarm, a lid to the pot. Sometimes, it takes the cloud and condenses it into something _tangible_ , reforms the memories and slots them back into place.

Interacting with the Composer would do that. Joshua knows. Neku was never told.

* * *

 

Hachiko glistens in the noon sun, and Neku finds himself drawn to the statue. He used to meet up with friends here, every week. Shiki, Eri, Beat, Rhyme, and… _W̪ḥ̞̙͔̳͍ͅo̙̲͖͔ ̬̯e̪͇͚̲̘l̬̠͕̬s͕̝͉͓͕e̞?̠̲̬̘̰͇_

A face haunts him in the fog of his mind. A mist obscures it, light wavy hair and stinging violet eyes. A giggle like a gunshot. _Win͘g̵s͝ ̧li͘ke͞ a͟n͢ ang͘e̷l w̨ith̡ a̛ d͡e҉vil’s ͞s̕m͏i͡rķ ̵to ͏m͞a̡tc̶h.̷_

He sits on a bench facing the dog, and puts ink to paper in an effort to catch the city smog filling his head. Stain the parchment with the elusive image, the water slipping through his fingers because he _can’t remember how he met his friends_.

Darkness falls over him, a shadow cast by a standing figure.

“You’re blocking my light source, dude. Move,” he grunts.

The figure flops down on the bench at his side, which. Neku doesn’t care, a bit close for his liking but whatever.

“Hmph, rude. You don’t own this space, dear.” The voice rings in his head. Punches a bullet hole through the fog, crisp and clean. _Fam͢i̴lia͜r, b͘u͞r͏nin͡g ͠th̴rou̸g̛h͏ ͢h̡is v̷e͠i͞n̷s, c̷o͠n͢su̧m͘ing̢ ̵his h͜e͢a͏rt in f̷ire͜ and ͝se͢ar͜i͝ng̢ t̶hr̸o̵u͡g͝h the̸ f̴a͜b̧r̨i͏c ҉of ̴h͡i͠s̶ ͜So̸u͟l._

 “Neither do you,” he bites, air hissing through his teeth like steam in a kettle.

A laugh. _It aches, clawing under his skin and tying his throat in knots, trying to break free_ \--he keeps the choked gasp contained as the stranger speaks.

“Actually, Neku Sakuraba,” Neku’s head snaps up, and he almost breaks his neck turning to look at this person, “I believe I _do_.” There’s no time to flinch back as a hand is pressed against his forehead. “You would do well to remember that.”

Storm clouds gathered in his skull, above his brain, break. A downpour of water floods through his synapses, floods through his thoughts and memories. Three weeks of hell and a thousand days of life after death break through the static dam.

Lightning strikes his nerves and he jerks back, a silent shriek buried in his throat. Instead of pulling away, scrambling back and off the bench and away from _him_ , Neku falls forward. Falls with his head landing on this not-so-stranger’s chest.

“Oh _fuck you, Josh_ ,” he says, words scraping from his chest, sandpaper spit out of his mouth. The grit doesn’t make Joshua bleed, of course it doesn’t, not when Neku is wrapping his arms around Josh with a vice grip.

A hand runs through his hair, setting a path for cold water to trickle, letting ice gather at the base of his neck, soothing the pounding in his head. “It’s not _my_ fault you forgot. Without interacting with the UG, memories related to it fade. You left Shibuya, so I couldn’t hang around to make them stay.”

He sniffs, burying his face in Josh’s chest. It keeps the tears from dripping down his cheeks, and Josh knows better than to point it out. “You could’ve _told me_ it’d happen! I could’ve come back to visit if I’d known!”

“You shouldn’t have to be tethered to Shibuya, to _me_ your whole life. People are supposed to _let go_ and move on.” Joshua shifts, wrapping an arm around Neku. Safe. Warm. _Alive_. It’s a lie, a kind lie, but a lie nonetheless.

“Well I don’t _wanna_. You’re my friend, how many times do I need to tell you that? I don’t like forgetting my friends.”

Neku can’t see it, but he knows the way Josh stiffens. He’s felt it underneath him many times, in the conversations where he wants to make sure Joshua _stays put_. Knows the smile blooming on his face will be there a couple seconds later, followed by a pillow-light sigh.

“You’ll have to visit every few weeks. Hang out with me. If you go too long, everything will be gone again. Three weeks is when it starts to fade. You sure you can make that commitment?”

Neku laughs, clutching at Joshua’s shirt. “You dolt. Shibuya is my home. I came back to make it official with a place to stay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent too much time on this at work for it to be a warmup but oh well!
> 
> Drop me a comment below, or join my twewy discord! [Right here!](https://discord.gg/pEADe9J) I promise we don't bite!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi this is all self-indulgent warmup writing and if you enjoyed it drop me a comment below!
> 
> Or join my twewy discord! [Right here!](https://discord.gg/pEADe9J) We're all a fun bunch in there!


End file.
